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Two-day-old adults of Drosophila melanoqaster (stock OR/y⁺YB[^s]) were raised on a balanced Drosophila medium to which powdered black pepper had been added, in order to test for rates of black pepper-induced mutagenicity. Two different concentrations of black pepper were used, the higher being just below the lethal dose of the larvae. Two-day-old males which had been fed for their entire lives on the test mixtures were mated to y²w[^sp] females. The males were transferred to a different group of virgin females every three days for two consecutive periods, resulting in two broods. Offspring were scored to determine the frequency of chromosome loss or breakage. The addition of black pepper did not induce a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations. The two concentrations of black pepper in the diet were also tested for the induction of sex-linked recessive lethals by the use of Oregon R males and Muller-5 females, employing the above brood methods. Again, the obtained data showed no evidence of mutagenicity.